Utility Vans
There are at least three types of Utility Vans seen in the Railway Series and the television series. They are also simply known as vans or trucks in the UK narration or cars in the US narration. General Utility Vans |last_appearance=Really Useful Engines |creator(s)=Christopher Awdry |country_of_origin =* Island of Sodor * England |basis=General utility vans (GUV) |gauge= |vehicle=Rolling stock |wheels=8 |railway=North Western Railway }}These vans are rolling stock primarily used for transporting letters and parcels throughout various railways. Biography ''The Railway Series'' These vans are a frequent sight on the Ffarquhar Branch Line and are usually pulled by Percy. Tom Tipper, the postman, used to help load and unload letters and parcels into the vans at FfarquharThe Railway Series: Really Useful Engines "Mind That Bike". Technical Details Basis These vans are based on general utility vans (GUV), however their specific basis is unknown. File:Generalutilityvan.jpg|A real general utility van Livery These vans are painted light brown. Appearances Railway Series= The Railway Series * Really Useful Engines - Mind that Bike Merchandise * Hornby SE&CR Diagram 960 PMV (4 wheels) |last_appearance=The World's Strongest Engine |creator(s)= *David Mitton *Britt Allcroft |country_of_origin = * Island of Sodor * England |basis=SE&CR Diagram 960 PMV |gauge= |vehicle=Rolling stock |designer(s)=Richard Maunsell |builder(s)=SR Ashford, Eastleigh, Brighton or Nine Elms Works |year_built=sometime between 1919 and 1951 |wheels=4 |railway=North Western Railway }}These vans are rolling stock used for transporting goods and merchandise throughout various railways. They have four wheels. These vans were slowly phased out by the fifth series and replaced with bogie variants, as they ran easier on tighter turns. Biography ''Thomas & Friends'' A utility van was used for carrying passenger's luggage, which was a part of Henry's express.Series 1 "Thomas and Gordon". They have often been used for the Flying Kipper with other types of vans and have been involved in many accidents while part of the train. Various accidents include derailing into a stationary goods trainSeries 1 "The Flying Kipper (episode)" and being completely submerged underwater after travelling on a line eroded by high tidesSeries 5 "Something in the Air". Henry once used these vans to transport letters and parcels from the Mainland to Percy's Post TrainSeries 3 "Thomas, Percy and the Post Train". Personality Sentient vans fall into the category of Troublesome Trucks. Technical Details Basis The utility vans are based on the South Eastern & Chatham Railway Diagram 960 Parcels and Miscellaneous Vans (PMV), introduced in 1919. This type of van was designated the standard for the Southern Railway and remained in production, updated as the Diagram 3103, until 1951, remaining in regular service until 1986, with a few surviving on departmental duties into the 1990s. These vans were used primarily for the transportation of letters and parcels. File:UtilityWagonsbasis.jpg|A 4-wheel SE&CR Diagram 960 PMV Livery These vans were originally painted dark brown with light brown vents. They were repainted in a faded black in the third series. File:UtilityVansModel1.png|A dark brown van File:UtilityVanFace.png|A black van with a face Appearances Television Series= Trivia * Only one model of this type of van existed. It was constructed out of a Tenmille kit. * Though they are usually faceless, a utility van with a Troublesome Truck face was once briefly seen in the third series episode Oliver Owns Up, although the face was crooked. Merchandise * TrackMaster * Wooden Railway SE&CR Diagram 960 PMV (''bogie wheels) |creator(s)= *David Mitton *Britt Allcroft |country_of_origin = * Island of Sodor * England |basis=SE&CR Diagram 960 PMV |gauge= |vehicle=Rolling stock |designer(s)=Richard Maunsell |builder(s)=SR Ashford, Eastleigh, Brighton or Nine Elms Works |year_built=sometime between 1919 and 1951 |wheels=8 |railway=North Western Railway }}These vans are rolling stock used for transporting goods and merchandise throughout various railways. They are quite common. These vans replaced the four wheel variants, as their bogies allowed them to run easier on tighter turns. The Mail Train and the Flying Kipper primarily consist of these type of vans. Biography ''Thomas & Friends'' One of these vans was part of Thomas' long goods train. The trucks grew cross with Thomas and pushed him down Gordon's HillSeries 1 "Thomas and the Trucks". Henry once used one of these vans to transport letters and parcels from the Mainland to Percy's Post Train. Series 3 "Thomas, Percy and the Post Train". One of these vans helped form part of the Circus Train. James was given the honour of pulling the train, much to the dismay of Gordon and HenrySeries 3 "Thomas, Percy and the Post Train". Percy used one of these vans to carry Flynn's special hose. Den and Dart offered to deliver the van but dumped the hose in the garage instead as ordered by Diesel 10Series 3 "Thomas, Percy and the Post Train". Personality Though faceless one of these vans once pushed Thomas down Gordon's hill, thus making them troublesome trucks. Technical Details Basis The utility vans are based on the South Eastern & Chatham Railway Diagram 960 Parcels and Miscellaneous Vans (PMV) with added bogies. The mail vans share the same basis. File:UtilityWagonsbasis.jpg|A 4-wheel SE&CR Diagram 960 PMV File:UtilityWagonbogiesbasis.jpg|A bogie variant of the wagon, which may have served as the inspiration for adding bogies to the 4-wheel version Types of designs File:UtilityVansModel2.png|4 vents (raised) File:UtilityVansCGI.png|2 vents (lowered) Livery These vans are painted dark brown, cream, dark grey and blue. File:UtilityVansModel2.png|A dark brown van File:UtilityVansCGI1.png|A dark grey van File:UtilityVansCGI.png|A cream van with red stripes File:UtilityVansCGI2.png|A light blue van with white stripes File:UtilityVansCGI3.png|A brown van There have also been vans with special liveries depicted with logos for various businesses and companies. File:UtilityVansModel3.png|A "Topham Circus" van File:MainMailVansCGI.png|The mail vans Appearances Television Series= , Time for Trouble, Gordon and the Famous Visitor, Thomas Gets Bumped, Thomas, Percy and the Dragon, Henry's Forest , The Trouble with Mud, Thomas, Percy and the Post Train, Oliver Owns Up, Percy, James and the Fruitful Day and Thomas and Percy's Christmas Adventure * 'Series 4' - Henry and the Elephant * 'Series 6' - Elizabeth the Vintage Lorry * 'Series 14' - Pop Goes Thomas, Thomas in Charge, Thomas and the Snowman Party, Thomas' Crazy Day and Thomas and Scruff * 'Series 15' - Gordon and Ferdinand, Percy's New Friends, Edward the Hero, Happy Hiro, Up, Up and Away!, Henry's Happy Coal, Surprise, Surprise, Stop That Bus!, Stuck on You, Kevin the Steamie, Tree Trouble and Fiery Flynn * 'Series 16' - Race to the Rescue, Ol' Wheezy Wobbles, Express Coming Through, Ho Ho Snowman, Thomas and the Rubbish Train, Thomas Toots the Crows, Bust My Buffers!, Percy and the Calliope, Thomas and the Sounds of Sodor, Sodor Surprise Day, Emily's Winter Party Special, Whiff's Wish, Happy Birthday Sir! and The Christmas Tree Express * 'Series 17' - Scruff's Makeover, Calm Down Caitlin, Not Now, Charlie!, Bill or Ben?, Away From the Sea and The Smelly Kipper * 'Series 18' - Missing Gator * 'Series 19' - Salty All at Sea and Slow Stephen Specials * '''2011' - Day of the Diesels * 2012 - Blue Mountain Mystery * 2014 - Tale of the Brave }} Trivia * In the CGI series, the amount of vents on the front and back of utility vans were reduced. * From the third to fifth series, the mail vans were made out of Tenmille gauge 1 Utility van kits. From Thomas and the Magic Railroad to Series 12, they were scratch built. This explains why their appearance was altered from the original utility vans they were based on. Merchandise * TrackMaster * Hornby * Bachmann * Capsule Plarail * Wooden Railway ru:Фургоны общего назначения References Category:North Western Railway Category:Other railways Category:Trucks Category:Thomas & Friends characters Category:Rolling stock Category:Standard gauge Category:The Railway Series characters Category:The Mainland Category:The Main Line Category:Thomas' Branch Line Category:Norramby Branch Line Category:Edward's Branch Line Category:The Little Western Category:Sodor Mail Category:Harwick Branch Line